Display device



Dec. 22, 1964 M. z. BERGER ETAL 3,162,008

DISPLAY DEVICE Filed April 2, 1963 INVENTOIE,

GA? BY imggglLMgk EfsTE N ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,162.,G08DISPLAY DEVlCE Michael Z. Berger, 1500 Grand Concourse, Bronx, N.Y.,

and Joseph Mermelstein, 732 Henry Road, Far Rockaway, N.Y.

Filed Apr. 2, 1963, Ser. No. 269,911 3 Claims. (Cl. 58-126) The presentinvention relates generally to improvements in display devices and itrelates more particularly to an improved time piece aifording aperiodically changing visual display.

There have been many forms of displays, both of a stationary and movingcharacter, associated with time pieces such as watches and clocks. Wherethe display is of the moving type it is a common practice to actuate thedisplay by the watch or clock timing motor. However, in the movingdisplay type time piece either the display was rudimentary or itrequired a mechanical modification of or complex coupling to the timingmotor. Such structural modifications are highly undesirable since theyare usually expensive, and interfere with the accuracy of the time pieceand otherwise leave much to be desired.

It is thus a principal object of the present invention to provide animproved display device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedtimepiece display device.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedtime piece aifording a moving visual display.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a periodicallychanging visual display associated with a time piece and driven by thetiming motor thereof.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide animproved time piece display device of the above nature characterized byits simplicity, attractiveness and the unique effect afiorded thereby.

The above and other objects of the present invention will becomeapparent from a reading of the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan View of a Wrist watch embodying the presentinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view thereof.

In a sense the present invention contemplates the provision of a displaydevice comprising a base member carrying a visual representation, afirst sheet of light polarizing material overlying said representation,a second sheet of light polarizing material overlying said first lightpolarizing sheet, and a drive motor rotating at least one of said lightpolarizing sheets to alternately substantially visually mask and exposesaid representation.

The present display mechanism is advantageously associated with a timepiece such as a watch or clock and in its preferred form includes a faceplate the front of which carries a visual representation over which issuper imposed a layer of a light polarizing material. A timing motor ispositioned behind the face plate and includes a central second handdrive shaft and minute and hour hand cannon shafts coaxial with thesecond hand shaft, the ternary of shafts projecting through the centerof the face plate and light polarizing layer. Minute and hour hands areaflixed to the cannon shafts and a second hand is aifixed to the centershaft, and rotating with the center shaft is a disc of a lightpolarizing material which overlies the minute and hour hands as well asthe polarizing layer covered representation. A crystal or transparentwindow which carries hour designating indicia is associated with thetime piece to enclose the time indicating hands, face plate and lightpolarizing elements. The rotation of the 'ice light polarizing discbrings the light polarizing axis thereof alternately into parallel andperpendicular relationship with the light polarizing axis of theunderlying light polarizing layer to thereby successively visuallyexpose and mask the underlying representation every thirty seconds.

Referring now to the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, the reference numeral 10 generally designates animproved wrist watch display device which includes a watch casing 11, acover 12 and a window plate or crystal 13. The casing 11 is of the usualcup shaped configuration and is provided, along the rim of the openingthereto, with an upstanding peripheral rib 14 having an inwardlydownwardly beveled outer face. Housed in the casing 11 is a conventionaltiming motor of any desired type having a disc shaped top wall 16engaging the rib 14 and provided with a winding stem 17 registering witha corresponding opening in the casing 11 and terminating in a fingerpiece 18.

The usual ternary of coaxial shafts projects from the timing motorthrough a central opening in the top wall 16 and includes a centralsecond hand drive shaft 19 and inner and outer cannon shafts 20 and 21respectively for driving the minute and hour hands. A circular mountingplate or frame 22 is superimposed on the wall 16 and is provided withanupstanding peripheral shoulder 23. A disc shaped picture member 24 issuperimposed on and suitably afiixed to the plate 22 and registers withthe shoulder 23 and has a central opening 26 registering with the motorshaft ternary which projects through an opening in the plate 22. Thepicture member 24 may be a photograph, drawing, print or the like and isprovided on its front face with any desired representation or subjectmatter 27.

A first light polarizing disc 28 is superimposed on the picture memberand has a central opening registering with the shaft ternary. Thepolarizing disc 28 is coextensive with the picture member and registerswith the peripheral shoulder 23. It should be noted that the shoulder 23may be inwardly beaded or upset along the upper edge thereof to engagethe upper border of the polarizing disc 28. The light polarizing disc 28may be formed of any suitable sheet material having a light polarizingaxis lying in the plane thereof, such as Polaroid or thelike. Positionedabove the first light polarizing disc 28 and affixed to the cannonshafts 20 and 21 are the usual upper and lower minute and hour hands 29and 30 respectively.

Afiixed to the second hand drive shaft 19 is a hub or coupling member 32having an upper outwardly directed peripheral flange 33. A second hand34 is provided with an enlargedannular section between its ends whichengages the hub 32 directly below the flange 33. A second lightpolarizing disc 36 which may be formed of the same material as the firstlight polarizing disc 24 and has a polarizing axis in the plane thereof,immediately underlies the second hand 34 and has a central opening 37registering with the hub 32. Also engaging the hub 32 along theunderface of the disc 36 is a washer of about the diameter of the flange33, the hub 32, second hand 34, disc 36 and the washer being locked intoa rigid assembly by a peripheral flange suitably formedon the bottom ofthe hub 32 and tightly bearing on the underface of the washer. It shouldbe noted that the secondpglarizing disc 36 is of somewhat smallerdiameter than the first disc 23.

The cover member 12 includes a collar 38 surrounding the shoulder 23 andthe edge of the plate 16 and tightly releasably engaging the beveledouter face of the casing rib 14. The collar 38 projects above theshoulder 23 and terminates in a bezel defining inwardly upwardlydirected flange 39. A pair of brackets 40 project from opposite sides ofthe collar 38 and support band or strap engaging pins in the usualmanner.

The watch crystal 13 may be molded of a transparent synthetic organicresin and includes a top disc 41 provided with a depending peripheralcollar 42 which terminates in an outwardly directed lip 43. The lowerborder of the collar 42 bears against the upper inner edge of the bezel39 and the lip 43 complements and is engaged by the confronting faces ofthe bezel 30 and the upper face of the rib 23. Formed in the peripheralunder face of the crystal disc 41 are circumferentially spaced radiallyextending hour designating grooves 44 which are suitably inlaid orcoated to render them clearly and easily visible.

In operation, the second, minute and hour hands, 29, 30 and 34 aredriven in the usual manner to provide an indication of the time. Thesecond polarizing disc 36 is rotated by the shaft 19 a revolution aminute about its central axis so that the axis of light polarizationthereof rotates therewith between positions parallel and at right anglesto the light polarizing axis or" the stationary first light polarizingdisc 28. The interval between parallel and completely crossed axes ofpolarization of the discs 28 and 36 is fifteen seconds so that thetransmission of light through the overlying discs 28 and 36 increasesfrom minimum to maximum in fifteen seconds and returns to minimumtransmission in the following fifteen seconds. As a consequence, therepresentation 27 is periodically completely masked or substantiallyinvisible for a short period every thirty seconds and is visible betweensaid masking periods. does not abruptly change, the masking andunmasking of the representation 27 is gradual, approaching and leavingthe position of right angles ofthe light polarizing axes of the discs 28and 36, so that the representation 27 is slowly periodicallyrenderedvisible and invisible thereby providing an attractive display. Since thesecond, minute and hour hands .and the hour indicia are not viewedthrough both light polarizing discs 28- and 36 these are alwayscompletely visible and the reading of the time is thus not interferedwith.

While there has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention it is apparent that numerous alterations,omissions and additions may be made without departing from the spiritthereof.

Since the degree of light transmission What is claimed is:

1. A time piece display device comprising an opaque face plate carryinga visual representation on the front face thereof, a layer of lightpolarizing material directly superimposed upon said visualrepresentation, a disc of light polarizing material overlying saidpolarizing layer, a timing motor disposed behind said face plate andincluding a second hand drive shaft passing axially through said faceplate and polarizing layer and aflixed to said polarizing discsubstantially at the center thereof, a pair of minute hand and hour handdrive cannon shafts coaxial with said second hand drive shaft and drivenby said timing motor, and a minute hand and an hour hand atfixed to saidcannon shafts and disposed between said polarizing layer andsaidpolarizing disc.

2. The time piece display device of claim 1 including a second handafiixed to said second hand drive shaft and extending radially along theface of said polarizing disc.

3. The time piece display device of claim 1 including a transparentwindow member overlying said polarizing disc and carryingcircumferentially spaced hour designating indicia.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,018,214 10/35Land 40130 2,506,134 5/50 Burchell 40130 2,763,078 9/56 Graves 401302,786,292 3/57 Graves 40130 2,838,864 6/58 Guida 40l30 2,846,799 8/58Viszlocky et a1. 4013O FOREIGN PATENTS 1,127,795 12/56 France.

659,690 10/51 Great Britain.

319,645 4/57 Switzerland.

322,322 7/57 Switzerland.

LEO SMILOW, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH P. STRIZAK, LEYLAND M. MARTIN,

Examiners.

1. A TIME PIECE DISPLAY DEVICE COMPRISING AN OPAQUE FACE PLATE CARRYINGA VISUAL REPRESENTATION ON THE FRONT FACE THEREOF, A LAYER OF LIGHTPOLARIZING MATERIAL DIRECTLY SUPERIMPOSED UPON SAID VISUALREPRESENTATION, A DISC OF LIGHT POLARIZING MATERIAL OVERLYING SAIDPOLARIZING LAYER, A TIMING MOTOR DISPOSED BEHIND SAID FACE PLATE ANDINCLUDING A SECOND HAND DRIVE SHAFT PASSING AXIALLY THROUGH SAID FACEPLATE AND POLARIZING LAYER AND AFFIXED TO SAID POLARIZING DISCSUBSTANTIALLY AT THE CENTER THEREOF, A PAIR OF MINUTE HAND AND HOUR HANDDRIVE CANNON SHAFTS COAXIAL WITH SAID SECOND HAND DRIVE SHAFT AND DRIVENBY SAID TIMING MOTOR, AND A MINUTE HAND AND AN HOUR HAND AFFIXED TO SAIDCANNON SHAFTS AND DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID POLARIZING LAYER AND SAIDPOLARIZING DISC.